MEPs plan tobacco subsidies as Brussels fights smoking- Members of the European Parliament have paved the way for hundreds of millions of pounds of subsidies to go to Europe’s tobacco farmers — even though Brussels spends huge amounts on anti-smoking campaigns
Tobacco growers could begin receiving extra cash as soon as next year after MEPs voted to amend changes in the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP).The vote, which needs further ratification, allows member states to decide which crops receive European Union farming subsidies. That could see countries such as Bulgaria, Poland and Greece giving huge sums to their tobacco growers.
Critics have already argued that the proposed changes to the subsidy system will herald a return to the notorious “butter mountains” and “wine lakes”. Now they may see a return to the subsidising of the multi-billion-pound cigarette industry as well.
Time to get out of this outrageous fraud and leave the rest of them to it. At a time of austerity, this is quite unbelievable.
03 Feb 2013, 1:33 am
